The private side of the Grey's Anatomy star

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Haute couture brought actress Ellen Pompeo and interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard together. In 2006, Pompeo, who plays Dr. Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, was visiting Paris for the semiannual cavalcade of the highest of high fashion. Lawrence-Bullard was there as well, accompanying his longtime client and friend Cher. While he was awaiting the singer's arrival at the Christian Dior show, the Los Angeles–based decorator struck up a conversation with Pompeo and her husband, music producer Chris Ivery. It was a front-row match made in heaven.

The timing of their meeting was serendipitous, as Pompeo had recently purchased a classic 1920s Spanish-style home in the Hollywood Hills, where, according to local lore, Ronald Reagan had once lived.

For the decor, Pompeo's points of reference fall along the shores of the Mediterranean. She has a pronounced affection for Morocco, Spain, Tuscany, and the South of France—not only for their design traditions but also for their lifestyles that celebrate casual entertaining, hearty food, and sun-kissed repose. "Ellen's basically a very easy, relaxed person who likes her home to be easy and relaxed as well," Lawrence-Bullard says. "There's none of that star-diva craziness."

As Pompeo puts it, "This house is perfect for our family," which now includes the couple's first child, Stella Luna. "It's all about swimming, eating, and hanging out with friends. Martyn jokes that we live like college kids—people are coming and going all the time. What can I say? It's a happy place."